Shield of the Desert
by Sheikh1
Summary: In the deserts of Arabia lies a tribe known to be Gatekeepers of the Peninsula. Khalid, a Bedouin teen, finds a Gem ship which crash lands. He finds a Hessonite gem on the ground. Little did he know, this is merely a chapter of his life which will change him forever.
1. The Beginning

"Bring the lion back to the camp Khalid, you've done well today. I will stay here for a bit.", says Hantala as the bright Arabian moon shines upon them from above. "Your father will wonder why you're taking so long."

Khalid carries the lion onto the back of his camel, before riding the camel himself. "For what reason do you need to stay here uncle? Do you want the Jinn prey on you?" Khalid says with a mischievous tone.

Hantala was a giant of a man, he merely chuckled before replying to the boy, "Just go home, I'll be back soon."

Khalid nodded and gave his goodbyes. "I will see you later today then uncle, you promised to help me train tonight!"

Hantala laughed and replied. "Of course, my boy, I am never one to go back on my promises", he then shooed off the boy back home.

Khalid soon began his trek back to his tribe's town. However, a bright streak of light shined across the night sky. It was like Quzah was creating a new star before his eyes. However soon the star became brighter in the sky, brilliant reds and oranges descending down closer and closer to the earth.

Khalid couldn't believe his eyes. "How peculiar..."

The strange star continued its fall from grace, as if Allah himself has casted it from the heavens above and made it fall to the Earth as punishment for whatever sins it had committed.

When the star finally crashed unto the Bahraini sands with a shockwave powerful enough to startle his camel.

Khalid soon began to believe that this "star" wasn't a star at all. His curiosity increased tenfold, he changed tracks and travelled towards the crash site of this strange object.

Khalid had a thousand and one different scenarios in his mind. 'Could it be really a star that has fallen? Possibly a gift from Allah?'

Khalid then thought it over carefully. 'What if it's an illusion from a cursed Jinni?'

He shook his head. Why would a Jinn even do something this elaborate? They can easily prey on him alone. It must be something else.

Khalid has always thought about the heavens above, and what was beyond it. He even thought of maybe there are living beings like Humans beyond the covers of the skies. Could there be a world full of interesting mysteries waiting to be found out?

As Khalid continued with his thoughts, he arrived at the crash site. What he saw was interesting.

He found a large crater, with smoke trailing from the centre. However, what was in the centre was the strangest thing he has seen in his life.

He found a large metallic object of peculiar design. It has a diverse colour scheme and very strange shapes.

Khalid got off his Camel and tied his humble steed to a palm tree nearby. He then approached the crater once again and began to climb down it. He slowly slid down the sandy slopes and climbed down the rocky interior. Soon, he found himself face to face with the strange object.

He approached it with absolute calmness. He can't afford to act irrationally when around this unknown object. 'Allah give me strength...'

He then extended his arm towards the object, his hand slowly approaching the large imposing structure.

Time seemed to slow down for a bit, however Khalid soon laid his hands on the wall of the object.

As soon as he touched it, he immediately felt mild vibration. He quickly moved back, thinking danger awaits him. However as soon as it happened, it had ended. He then saw the walls open to him,

Khalid was taken aback, what is this object? "What have I gotten myself into?"

Against his better judgement, he entered the object. What he saw inside made him awestruck.

He saw many different types of metallic machinations around this strange object, most of which are just unknown to the Bedouin boy.

He searched around the strange object, looking around the interior to see anything he can recognise. However, he couldn't find anything he can understand or recognise.

He continued to search around the room, until he found a sort of table. He has only heard of the use of tables by the northern empires, though he has never seen one himself.

He merely stared at the 'table', inspecting every inch of it. He was quick to notice a section on the table which indicates that it held some function.

He placed his hand on it, wanting to see what it was…

But nothing happened. It would be an understatement to say he was disappointed, but he should have expected this. What else could he have found out from this table?

As Khalid said that, he was met by something truly surprising. A sort of rectangular glass-like object appeared in front of him. Interesting enough, something began to move within the glass, creating a sort of image of the interior of the object with a likeness of a person on the other side.

This startled Khalid quite badly, he has never seen or experienced such sorcery in his life. He must be in a trap set by the Jinn!

Before he can think further, he began to hear some sort of language coming from the person on the other side.

Little did Khalid knew, he was listening to a recording of a distress signal sent by the entity before their crash landing.

* * *

(Khalid won't understand what the following recording will contain, and I will add information that Khalid will not know but is only for the convenience of the reader.)

"This is Hessonite #1212; My mission was to travel to Earth and study the Earthlings and their military tactics to find flaws that can be exploited. However, I am currently about to crash land unto the Earth itself. The ship I was given is clearly defective and not even space-worthy! I order all nearby Gems to come for me. I shall continue my Miss-"

Hessonite was then poofed by broken parts of the ship that damaged her enough for her physical form to recede back into her gem.

[END OF RECORDING]

* * *

Khalid was taken aback by these moving and talking figures, he quickly turned to leave this metal nightmare. However, he tripped stepping on something.

He looked towards his feet to find a gemstone, the same one he saw on the strange-looking being. He got up and quickly grabbed the gem, quickly running out of the ship.

We went up the crater to the palm tree he left his camel by. He then took the time to breath and calm himself down.

Khalid couldn't believe what he experienced just now, he took another look at the gem he took from the ship. "What are you?" he muttered before he untied his camel and continued his trail back home.

Khalid merely shook his head as he rode his way back. "Uncle Hantala should know something, this is just… strange.".


	2. The Bedouin and the Gem

Khalid would arrive back to his tribe after his encounter with the strange structure, who has set up camp. The camp was large, almost bustling with life as both men, women, and children have a job to do. His tribe, the Banu Bakr, is one of the dominant tribal confederations in Northeastern Arabia. This part alone filled Khalid with immense pride, being a part of the tribe which held considerable influence on this side of the peninsula.

Despite that, he shook himself out of this stupor as he quickly leads his camel away from running over a group of men, who were less than ecstatic with the display. Khalid only gave them a sheepish smile and apologized as he continues to ride back to his family's tent. It's getting late, after all, the rest of the tribe will probably start to turn in for the day soon.

As he rides into the encampment, he couldn't help but take another look at the gem he found at the crash site. It's a very good cut, could fetch for a lot of dirhams if it wasn't for the fact that it's most likely beyond the sky. He can't sell it, it seems special somehow.

'If it came beyond the sky… Does that mean there are more like it as well?' So many questions, yet no one to help him answer them. Maybe his uncle might know something, he is the adventurer of the family, after all. Maybe he encountered something similar when he went on his treks to Ctesiphon and Damascus.

As he was thinking to himself, he arrives back in his family's tent. He hides the gem in his small bag and ties up his camel in a nearby post alongside the family's other camels. He enters the tent to see his parents on the ground eating dinner. Rice and mutton, the regular basically.

His father looks up and gestures to him to come and sit down. "We were wondering when you were going to get back. Now come, eat." Without delay, he sits down across from his parents.

He takes a look at the large clay plate in front of him and proceeds to cut pieces of the mutton and mashes them together with a handful of rice, allowing them to stick together. With that, he eats his handful and chews. It's bland, but it sustained him, which was enough for him.

He knows, however, that this won't be a quiet dinner. His mother soon spoke up, looking at her son. "So why did you come home so late? Did something happen?" If only she knew.

"Well… Not really, other than the hunt." He says, obviously lying. His mother raised an eyebrow at his reply, not buying it in the slightest. She knows something was up but decided to leave that for another time. She didn't want family time to turn into an interrogation. However, as soon as calm returned to the Bedouin abode, Hantala soon arrives.

He looks down at the small family and gave his smile. "I see that Khalid has returned." He says as he sits down next to Khalid. He turns his eyes to Khalid's father, his little brother. "You know Daysam… your kid was able to hunt a lion all on his own. He is very skilled." Naturally, that filled Khalid with pride. The fact that he was able to defeat a lion at his age was a feat of itself, to him it's proof that he has finally become an adult. "Yup! That lion wasn't so tough… Well except for the fact that it ambush-" Before he could finish, Hantala grabs the boy by his shoulder, where he'd catch the boy off guard and quickly continues where he left off. "What Khalid actually wanted to say is that we were able to ambush the lion without any problems. Isn't that right Khalid?" He would quickly say, emphasizing the last part as he looks towards Khalid, giving him a look that basically said 'stick with the story'. He lets go of the boy, letting him speak.

Khalid quickly nodded in the affirmative, coughing before continuing. "Uh, yea. That's what I meant. I guess I got tired of all that traveling." He says with a short awkward laugh. However, it's quite obvious that his parents aren't convinced of this partial lie.

Daysam could only sigh at this display, he then looks to his wife. "What do you think, Fatima?" The woman would look back to her husband, then back to her son and brother-in-law. "I don't believe it one bit." She crosses her arms and gave them a disapproving look. "You both could have died." She looks directly at her son, which Khalid looks away, embarrassed. "I can't let you go on these trips, it's clearly too dangerous."

Khalid whips his head back towards his mother, surprise evident in his eyes. His heart drops, not believing what she was saying. "B-But mom, you can't!" He couldn't believe what he is hearing, he just couldn't. He loves going on his adventures with his uncle, it's fun! It gave him something to do, a purpose. He wants to be like his uncle, a man who traveled the world! Khalid wants that, more than anything in this world.

Hantala speaks up, seeing how distressed the boy was. He knows how the boy loved their small adventures, no matter how small or short they were. "Fatima, you're being very unreasonable here. This is not Khalid's fault."

Fatima could only glare at the man, anger slowly growing from within her. Who was he to tell her how she raises her son? If looks could kill, she'd kill an entire village with just her gaze. "I want to hear nothing from you, Hantala. It's entirely your fault for putting my ONLY child in danger. He's only a child, Hantala!"

Hantala snaps back, "Khalid is a man now, he must learn how to defend himself and the ways of our ancestors." He pats the boy's back lightly. "He is a fine warrior, you should be proud. Instead, you aim only to snuff out his potential."

"Don't speak to my wife that way, Hantala." Daysam warns. "You know that she is right. He is only a child… My only son. If keeping him from going with you in your little adventures will keep him safe, I will do it without question."

Khalid couldn't say or do anything. Whenever he wanted to try and defend himself, he gets talked over.

As if his opinion didn't matter.

Eventually, his pent up frustration spills out, his hidden emotions now revealed to his family. "WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN TO WHAT I WANT!? I'M NOT A CHILD ANYMORE, I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF ON MY OWN! The boy then stands. Tearing up and extremely upset. He couldn't take this any longer. He didn't want to be treated like he is a kid, he is not!

His parents and his uncle could only stare back at the boy, surprised by his outburst. Then, before anyone could try and do anything, he runs out of the tent and begins to sprint through the now empty outdoors of the tribal encampment.

* * *

Khalid ran. He ran as fast as he could, not stopping for anyone. He didn't want anyone's comfort, nor assurances. He merely wanted to be alone, to gather his thoughts. Soon he found himself quite away from his home encampment. He could barely see it over the horizon, looking almost like a single sand grain on the horizon. He was surprised by how much stamina he had, it seems that his training with his uncle really paid off. However, it looks like his training will have to stop…

He sighs, sitting down on the arid, sandy ground of the Arabian desert. He looks up at the night sky, seeing the stars and the bright white moon. He smiles, finding the sight to be quite beautiful. The fusion of the dark void and the celestial objects was a sight that gave the boy solace, peace even.

He then felt something with weight from his bag, something rectangular. He then remembers the gem he found at the crash site, he almost forgot about it! He pulls out the gem, deciding to inspect it more thoroughly this time.

He looks over the gem, its color being orange. Now, he isn't an expert in gems and the like, but even he could tell that it had an almost perfect cut, barely any impurities, if any.

However, he remembers his experience inside the structure, that mirror showing what seems to be the past. It showed a person disappearing inside this gem. Almost like a…

"Jinn." He says aloud, almost certain that he has a Jinn's physical anchor in his hand. It's inside this gem, without a doubt. It could be that the mirror was a part of the Jinn's trick, he doesn't know for sure… but, he's sure to find out soon enough.

With a deep breath, he gets up and holds out the gem in front of him. He stares at it, with a look determination on his face. He isn't scared of some lousy Jinn! He is a warrior, after all, he can defend himself against these creatures. So, with his determination, he proceeds to rub the gem with his hand, as if it was a magic lamp.

Khalid prepared himself, waiting to see the Jinn come out of its abode in the gem.

After a few seconds, he begins to lose hope that this gem had anything in it… Is there a Jinn inside this gem? Are the Jinns playing a trick on him? Are they joking and laughing at his expense?

While he thought of that, he is surprised by the sudden bright light surrounding the gem, where soon a humanoid shape would form around the gem. At this point, Khalid had let go of the gem, which is now floating midair. He would slowly walk backward, his face in awe at the sight in front of him. He is finally seeing a Jinn!

Soon the light fades, revealing… a tall orange… woman he thinks? A female Jinn? That has to be rare... right? At least he thinks its a female, her body proportions seems feminine even. She wore peculiar clothes, he didn't know how to explain, he has never seen such clothes before! Her hair was very poofy, kinda like a fluffy ball on her head.

The Jinn has a surprised look on her face as if she didn't expect something, whatever it was. After processing what happened, she stands up straight, analyzing her surroundings.

* * *

On the other hand, Hessonite is simply processing the events prior to her poofing. Her ship, something went wrong. What it was that caused it to malfunction in such a way is beyond her. Those no-good Peridots will get what's coming to them when she gets back to Homeworld. This didn't need to go wrong at all, it's a simple reconnaissance mission after all. It must be foul play, someone wanted her to fail!

Despite being a high ranking military figure in Homeworld, she never really trusted many of her equals, including the other Hessonites. However, it didn't mean she wasn't up to the task for the benefit of Homeworld, she is merely a realist and a pragmatist.

Then, she hears something. It has a slightly high-pitched sound, almost like there is someone with her at this moment. She looks down to see a small human, seemingly at awe of her mere presence. In all honesty, it definitely did inflate her ego a bit, though it was from an organic lifeform… so it wasn't a huge boost.

"U-Uh… Wow, are you a real Jinn? I-Is it true you can fly and do magic…." The small human asks, staring wide-eyed at her. Droning on and on with completely stupid and irrelevant questions, it really irritated her. A Jinn? Does this idiot not know of Gemkind? Perhaps it's a native term. Regardless, it didn't matter to her, she needs to return to her ship… well, what's left of it.

"SILENCE! Human, I order you lead me to my ship." She demands, opting to ignore his question entirely.

The Human gave her a peculiar look as if it was confused.

"A ship? There aren't any ports nearby… Well other than the Sassanid ports nearby. Do you mean the strange structure I found your gem anchor in?" he replies, now snapping out of his surprised state. Good, he was starting to really annoy her. Regardless… it seems that this human is knowledgeable. He might be a sort of leader in these lands, which may prove useful for her mission.

"Yes, my ship. Take me to it, Human." She demands once again.

"My name is Khalid, not Human!" He would reply, clearing a bit upset with her calling him by his species.

A Khalid? Are Khalids leaders of Human desert communities? Maybe her mission isn't lost, after all, she is learning a lot already. Perhaps this supposed failure is a blessing in disguise.

"Did I stutter, Human?" Her tone now more powerful, and intimidating. She could see the Human take a step back in fear of her.

"Fine…" He'd eventually say, giving up arguing with her. Perhaps he's a weak leader, he buckles so easily to pressure. Pathetic.

The small Human sighs and proceeds to lead her to the crash site.

* * *

Khalid really regrets freeing her from her Gem now.

Either way, she's his responsibility now… even if she's very mean. I guess thats normal for Jinn, he learned from his uncle that Jinns are naturally confrontational, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise.

He merely sighs and mutters under his breath. "This day is getting better and better, huh?"


End file.
